Archaeology
Including a Guinness Record-holding archaeological archive, explore London’s buried history through the ages, from bones and tools to pottery and make-up
Blogs-And-Stories
Can you identify 3 mystery archaeological objects?
You may think you know what it looks like, but its purpose might surprise you
Foreshore finds from mudlarking on the Thames
A volunteer traces the history of some fascinating 18th-century objects rescued by mudlarks on the shores of the River Thames
How the Great Fire of London created insurance
The Great Fire of London in 1666 had a surprising outcome: the creation of modern property insurance
The Havering Hoard
London’s largest ever Bronze Age hoard, bundled up and buried 3,000 years ago
Mudlarks: Rescuing relics from the River Thames
From prehistoric blades to sacred relics, historical artefacts found on the shores of the Thames
Boudica: Rebel queen of the Iceni
London burned when this warrior queen challenged the Romans
How a Neolithic jade axe came to Mortlake
Polished, Italian and left in the Thames
Baby bottles from Roman London
These tiny baby bottles provide a rare insight into the culinary world of Roman infants and toddlers
Quiz: Which London river are you?
From the currents of the Thames to the secrets of the Walbrook, which river are you most like?
These boots were made for Romans
What can we learn about the residents of Roman Londinium by studying their shoes?
Medieval pilgrim shell tokens & St James’ Way
Explore London’s medieval shell relics, symbolising the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage’s lasting allure
London is open and always has been
15 objects from our collections, each showing that London is, and has always been, open to the wider world
From mammoths to pets: London's prehistoric beasts
Follow us on a journey of London animals from the Old Stone Age to the Iron Age
Testy teeth! Dental interventions in 19th-century London
What three sets of teeth reveal about an individual’s dietary habits and socio-economic status
London Stone in seven strange myths
We examine the myths surrounding London Stone and the colourful cast of characters who created them
Bioarchaeological evidence for Black women in 14th-century London
How much do we know about the people in medieval London?
Of Victorian cravat pins and Cleopatra’s Needle
How did a chip off a 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk wind up as a fashionable Victorian cravat pin?